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Packs can be purchased securely online in any quantity at £5.95 per pack (inc. P&P) - view the complete collection (below) to order. |
Alternatively packs can be obtained from: Nicky Bird 19 Hale Gardens, London W3 9SG Tel/fax: +44 (0)20 8752 0956 Email: info@birdplayingcards.com RETAILERS should contact Nicky Bird directly, at the above address, for trade terms (minimum quantity 12 packs). |
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CLASSIC MOVIE POSTERS 54 classic and cult movie posters from Europe and America - promoting movies both memorable and forgettable, but in this Golden Age from the 20th. century even the tackiest picture got the full studio treatment, stirring images, powerful graphics... £5.95 inc P&P |
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SKI ART Skiing for fun, a British invention, started in the 19th century in the Swiss Alps. Resorts and ski lifts multiplied, the fashion spread across Europe and to the US and Canada. Soon tourists were being seduced by posters designed by great graphic artists — like Hohlwein, Broders and Maurer. The classic posters in this pack celebrate the drama of skiing on spectacular, uncluttered mountains when speed was a thrilling novelty. £5.95 inc P&P |
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BON VOYAGE! LUGGAGE LABELS Classic luggage labels from the 20s to 50s, jewels of graphic design by unsung artists. These seductive labels, recalling a less hurried age, were pasted onto leather suitcases, proud mementoes of grand hotels, of elegant ships and of the lost glamour of flying. £5.95 inc P&P |
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STRIKE IT LUCKY! Vintage Match Box Covers Stunning graphics and bold images from VINTAGE MATCH BOXES in 54 traditional PLAYING CARDS. Invented in 1826 in England by John Walker, the friction match has inspired some of the most arresting packaging in commercial art, as these beautiful cards reveal. £5.95 inc P&P |
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GREEK AND ROMAN ART The masterpieces of Ancient Greece and Rome are fundamental to the development of Western art, to the Italian Hign Renaissance and beyond. From the sensuous beauty of Apollo and Venus, to the powerful portraits of heroes and Emperors, this connoisseur's pack is a tribute to the incomparable art of the ancients. £5.95 inc P&P |
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AFRICAN AMERICA: STRUGGLE / CULTURE / ACHIEVEMENT 54 classic photos from The Library of Congress, commemorating the struggle, culture and achievement of African Americans, from slavery to the present. This collectors’ pack features some of the Library’s finest portraits, as well as charming and evocative studies of childhood. Two different box designs available £5.95 inc P&P |
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AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (Library of Congress) Includes classic portraits by the great Mathew Brady of legendary leaders and generals like Lincoln, Lee, Grant and Sherman. Plus colour prints of great battles and memorable images of citizen soldiers. From The Library Of Congress, Washington. £5.95 inc P&P |
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BIRDS OF THE WORLD Featuring 54 of THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM'S most beautiful ornithological studies. A unique collectors' pack of hand-coloured prints and paintings, by turns exquisite and exotic, for art lovers and lovers of birds. £5.95 inc P&P |
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ANIMALS OF THE WILD The BEAUTY OF THE BEAST in 54 remarkable photographs. Animals of the wild – in jungle, wilderness and desert - are featured in this collectors’ pack of traditional playing cards celebrating the animal kingdom, from the majesty of the lion to the grace of the gazelle. £5.95 inc P&P |
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THE BEAUTY OF THE HORSE The HORSE in all its athleticism and grace is captured in masterpieces by such great equine artists as Leonardo, Gericault, Stubbs and Degas. Stunning posters and photographs celebrate the horse in peace and war - racing, hunting, performing... 54 traditional collectors' PLAYING CARDS for lovers of this most noble of animals. £5.95 inc P&P |
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MONET Monet's serene painting ‘Impression, Sunrise’ of 1872 gave the name IMPRESSIONISM to this great and revolutionary movement. As its founder member, Monet was guided by its principles throughout his long life, painting from nature, rendering the play of light on objects, on costume, on water. 54 of Monet's most enchanting paintings are featured, including his incomparable water-lily series. £5.95 inc P&P |
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DONALD McGILLS'S SAUCY SEASIDE SAUCY POSTCARDS were the stuff of seaside holidays, the naughtier the better – and the genius of the genre was Donald McGill. These nostalgic images feature a cast of randy men, drunks, mean Scotsmen, fat ladies, newlyweds, daft vicars, henpecked husbands – ‘a sub-world of smacked bottoms and scrawny mothers-in-law’ as George Orwell described McGill’s art, ‘the most perfect in the tradition’ £5.95 inc P&P |
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THE ART OF GOLF The game of GOLF has inspired some of the greatest poster artists and photographers. This collectors' pack of golfing photos, art and ephemera features 54 memorable images of golf and golfers during an era of unprecedented graphic creativity. £5.95 inc P&P |
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WORLD WAR 2 (Two different box designs available) |
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THE ART OF ANCIENT EGYPT 54 collectors’ PLAYING CARDS illustrate - on every card - the art of the pharaohs in sculpture, painting, ceramics and jewellery. £5.95 inc P&P |
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RAIL ART THE GOLDEN AGE OF RAILWAYS, before the age of jet travel, coincided with a golden age of graphic and industrial design. Sleek American diesels, and streamlined European steam engines, were pictured in seductive posters by great artist designers like Maurer and Cassandre. The fusion of industrial beauty with brilliant typography create a memorable genre of POSTER ART, both nostalgic and powerful. £5.95 inc P&P |
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WONDERS OF THE WORLD 54 cards including natural wonders like the Grand Canyon and Mount Everest, ancient man-made wonders like the Pyramid of Giza, Stonehenge and the Ggreat Wall of China through wonders of the classical world like the Colosseum and Hagia Sophia, to the more recent Taj Mahal and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A selection to stimulate, provoke and delight. Two different box designs available £5.95 inc P&P |
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TITANIC Commemorative PLAYING CARDS featuring 54 iconic photographs of RMS TITANIC, her officers and passengers, and memorabilia. They convey the beauty of the doomed ship, and a nostalgic world of elegance and optimism. To accompany the pack, Nicholas Bird has written a concise summary — TITANIC: FACT & FABLE — of the Titanic story. £5.95 inc P&P |
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THE AMERICA'S CUP 54 classic photos of defenders and challengers in sailing's greatest regatta. From the schooners and sloops of the early years, through the majestic J-class and sleek 12-metre yachts, these graceful vessels recall the heyday of The AMERICA'S CUP, the oldest active trophy in international sport. £5.95 inc P&P |
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ZODIAC (Bodleian Library) Exotic and beautiful images of the zodiac on all 54 cards in this collectors' pack. From the art of east and west — depicting subject that has intrigued and inspired artists down the centuries. £5.95 inc P&P |
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ART DETAIL Beautiful and bewitching images, gems often overlooked, are featured on all 54 cards. These beguiling corners of favourite Masterpieces proclaim the genius, virtuosity — and sheer love of painting — of the great masters, from Giotto to Cézanne. £5.95 inc P&P |
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THE NUDE Every card in this beautiful pack celebrates the nude in western art, and the virtuosity and genius of old and modern masters from Botticelli to Renoir. £5.95 inc P&P |
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CHURCHILL (Imperial War Museum) Features 54 memorable, often rare wartime photographs of Winston S. Churchill in his finest hour, chosen and introduced by his grand-daughter Celia Sandys. £5.95 inc P&P |
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THE GENIUS OF NATURE (Fitzwilliam Museum) 54 beautiful studies of flowers and fruit, birds and butterflies, landscape and rural life - in a traditional pack by masters of the art of nature, including Monet, Cézanne, Hiroshige and the unsung limners of the medieval world. £5.95 inc P&P |
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WORLD CUP GREATS This unique pack is illustrated with 18 action shots of legendary World Cup stars, from Puscas, Matthews and the great Pélé to Beckenbauer, Cruyff and Maradona. A personal choice by international soccer expert Brian Glanville — a pack to delight and provoke fans, historians and collectors. £5.95 inc P&P |
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MOVIE STARS Great movie stars, from Garbo to Pacino, are pictured in brilliant photos and publicity shots — together with their most memorable lines and quips. A film buff’s dream favourite stars with favourite quotes on every playing card…‘Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn’ ’I coulda been a contender’ ‘Round up the usual suspects’ ‘What a dump!’ ‘You talking to me?’… £5.95 inc P&P |
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THE ART PACK The art pack celebrates the genius of the world’s greatest painters, from Leonardo to Van Gogh. These 54 masterpieces offer a unique introduction to Western Painting, and will enliven every card game. £5.95 inc P&P |
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D-DAY (Imperial War Museum) Dramatic photos — many rarely seen — of the greatest sea-born invasion ever. Commanders, fighting men and machines, action shots, Resistance heroes… £5.95 inc P&P |
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MOVIE MONSTERS Schlock horror! The greatest and scariest Hollywood monsters, from King Kong and Godzilla to Dracula and TARANTULA! Spine-tingling, terrifying…tacky. £5.95 inc P&P |
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JFK (President John F. Kennedy) With the John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, and the Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Memorable photos of President John F. Kennedy during the White House years, including touching pictures of JFK with Jackie and their young family. A charming memento of Camelot. £5.95 inc P&P |
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GANGSTERS Featuring mobsters and gunmen — the world of Capone, tommy guns, Prohibition and the speakeasy — classic photos of real life gangsters, cops and robbers. £5.95 inc P&P |
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NELSON: HIS NAVY, LIFE & TIMES Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the life and world of VICE-ADMIRAL NELSON, in 54 memorable images from the National Maritime Museum's collections. His navy, brilliant career and private life are captured in revealing portraits and dramatic paintings. £5.95 inc P&P |
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WARPLANES WARPLANES of World War II, in dramatic and evocative images. The great aircraft are all here, both Allied and Axis, together with their specifications, so that enthusiasts can play Megatrump as well as traditional card games. £5.95 inc P&P |
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EROTICA Exquisite, erotic pictures — by acclaimed photographer Eric Wilkins — of desire and arousal. His sensuous, monochrome images provide provocative distraction with their graphic and varied depiction of love and lust. £5.95 inc P&P |
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THE BEATLES 54 classic photos, many unpublished or rarely seen — including stunning portraits — of the greatest ever musical group. £5.95 inc P&P |
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ROCK AND POP LEGENDS 54 music legends are featured in brilliant photos from BILL HALEY and ELVIS, through THE BEATLES, STONES and DYLAN, to QUEEN and beyond. Mainstream and maverick, blues, soul, R&B, folk — all are represented, including iconic solo artists and divas like TINA TURNER, CHER and MADONNA. £5.95 inc P&P |
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WILD WEST: HEROES, VILLAINS, MOVIE LEGENDS THE WILD WEST...rugged pioneers, gunslingers, hard riding and drinking, wide-open towns - the dangerous, heroic West of Buffalo Bill and Billy the Kid, and of John Wayne westerns; yet a place of beauty too, and nobility, as these cards, with their stunning portraits of the landscape and of Native Americans, reveal. £5.95 inc P&P |
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MAN: THE BODY BEAUTIFUL Portraits — by acclaimed photographers — of the male physique. This celebration of the beauty of man will be enjoyed by all who revere the human form as the greatest of all creations. £5.95 inc P&P |
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BATTLESHIPS (with the NMM and IWM) Battleships and battle-cruisers had their finest hour in the last century — naval architects fused speed, fire-power, endurance and armour into the most fearsome fighting ships ever built. Their names recall ferocious battles Bismarck, Hood, Yamato, Missouri — beautiful vessels with awesome guns captured in these fine and dramatic photos. Captions provide stats of performance and main armament. £5.95 inc P&P |
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OCEAN LINERS (NMM) The great ocean liners of the last century were flagships of design, seducing passengers with flamboyance within and sleek elegance without. Only 15 years separates the ill-fated Titanic (1912) and the Ile de France (1927) but the latter’s modernity is of another era. The greatest of all luxury liners, the Normandie (1935), championed this unique style paquebot as did the beautiful Queen Mary (1936), both featured in these 54 nostalgic images of a lost world of extravagance and ease. £5.95 inc P&P |
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DE GAULLE Commemorative cards honouring France’s greatest wartime leader and statesman who inspired and led résistants and Free French troops to victory. 54 dramatic, evocative images, including rare photos of General de Gaulle in his finest hour. Published with the assistance of the Fondation Charles de Gaulle, Paris. £5.95 inc P&P |
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ALI: THE GREATEST Muhammad Ali was the finest boxer of all time, quite simply ‘the greatest’. His artistry, power and speed were unique. He was a phenomenon – deft, brutal, nimble, witty, eloquent and above all charismatic, as these classic photos – and quotes – reveal. He really did ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’. £5.95 inc P&P |
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1914-18 (Flanders Field Museum) We commemorate the 90th anniversary of The Battle Of Passchendaele (1917) in these unique cards featuring 54 historic photographs and brilliant, evocative posters of the ‘war to end all wars’. £5.95 inc P&P |
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HOLLYWOOD 1 (Kobal Collection) More great Hollywood stars from Marlene Dietrich and James Cagney to Rita Hayworth and John Wayne. 18 classic studio portraits on the court cards, aces and jokers. £5.95 inc P&P |
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HOLLYWOOD 2 (Kobal Collection) More great Hollywood stars from Greta Garbo and Clark Gable to Marilyn Monroe and Marlon Brando. 18 classic studio portraits on the court cards, aces and jokers. £5.95 inc P&P |
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WRITERS & POETS (National Portrait Gallery) Featuring great British and Irish writers and poets from Shakespeare to Joyce. 18 magnificent photographs and paintings of famous and popular authors including the Brontës, Byron, Dickens and Wilfred Owen. £5.95 inc P&P |
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KINGS & QUEENS (National Portrait Gallery) Featuring KINGS and QUEENS of England and Great Britain from William The Conqueror to Elizabeth II. 18 magnificent portraits of English monarchs including the great (Henry VIII) and the good (Elizabeth I), the tragic (Charles I) and triumphant (Henry V). £5.95 inc P&P |
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GRAND PRIX (National Motor Museum, Beaulieu) 16 great FORMULA 1 championship drivers and cars — from Fangio and Maserati to Hill and Williams/Renault. In classic photographs from the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. £5.95 inc P&P |
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OPEN CHAMPIONS (Royal & Ancient Golf Club, St. Andrews) Celebrating the Open Championship at the Old Course, St. Andrews, Scotland, The Home of Golf, and great Open champions including Snead and Locke, Nicklaus and Faldo. £5.95 inc P&P |
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PACK OF ROYALS The late Willie Rushton’s cheeky caricatures of the British Royal Family, that provoked outrage at the Lord Chamberlain’s office. Two different colour box designs available £5.95 inc P&P |
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ELVIS Elvis from the exuberance of the Jailhouse Rock era to the flamboyant Las Vegas years — these official photographs from Presley's own Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, make superb playing cards. £5.95 inc P&P |
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MODERN ART (Guggenheim Museum) The Guggenheim Museum, New York, presents their choice of masterpieces including some of the greatest paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Degas. £5.95 inc P&P |
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ART OF NATURE A collectors' pack from the Natural History Museum, London. Exotic and beautiful creatures, fruits and flowers on magnificent paintings and prints of the natural world. OUT OF PRINT |
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THE GLORY OF VENICE A connoisseur's edition celebrating masterpieces of Venetian painting, from Giorgione and Titian to Veronese and Canaletto, including scenes of Venice in her glory. OUT OF PRINT |
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IMPRESSIONIST PORTRAITS Enchanting portraits by the greatest of Impressionist artists - including RENOIR and MONET, VAN GOGH and CEZANNE. OUT OF PRINT |
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THE BEATLES A collectors’ pack of traditional playing cards, celebrating 40 years of chart dominance by the world’s greatest group, in classic photos of The Beatles performing, clowning and relaxing —including rare and beguiling portraits of four remarkable, uniquely gifted stars, who created a musical phenomenon. OUT OF PRINT |
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THE CECIL BEATON ROYAL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY ALBUM 54 beautiful photographs of the ROYAL FAMILY by the great Society photographer Sir CECIL BEATON. Resplendent portraits and informal studies of H.M. THE QUEEN and the ROYAL FAMILY — memorable and intimate moments from a unique family album. OUT OF PRINT |
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